Girls need to be inspired to pursue technical fields

There is a shortage of girls in STEM fields. If this trend is to be reversed, girls’ interest in science and technology must be sparked as early as elementary school. That is why Gibotech once again participated in Girls’ Day in Science this year, where girls in 8th and 9th grade got a glimpse into working with robots.

Men typically design solutions for men. Society is in need of STEM skills. These are two reasons why we need to get more girls into STEM fields. We need more female leaders and researchers who can help make important decisions and ensure diversity in the solutions we develop.

If we want to attract more girls to STEM fields, we need to spark their interest in science and technology as early as elementary school. And that interest must be nurtured continuously, including throughout high school.

For this reason, a national campaign day called Girls’ Day in Science is held every year. On this day, girls from elementary and high school can visit local companies to learn about career opportunities. They will also meet female role models who can talk about their work and education.

- Women are still underrepresented in STEM education and STEM companies, and this lack of diversity affects us all. On Girls’ Day in Science, girls spend a day meeting employees, researchers, or students they can look up to, and they gain concrete, hands-on insight into their fields. It makes a huge difference when so many organizers support creating more diversity by opening their doors and showing girls the exciting opportunities in a future within technology and the natural sciences, says Maiken Lykke Lolck, director and expert on girls and STEM at the House of Natural Sciences.

Role Models and Robots

As part of the day’s activities, Gibotech once again welcomed 15 girls in grades 8–9 from a local public school in Odense. They were greeted by three role models: technical writer Kamilla Lorentsen from QHSE, technical designer Lene Øbro from R&D, and project manager Anja Christiansen from Project.

The role models gave the girls a glimpse into the career paths they had taken—because sometimes the straight and narrow isn’t always the right path. And then they talked about the various tasks they perform at Gibotech.

One of the role models was Kamilla Lorentsen, who works as a technical writer at Gibotech. She is a trained technical designer specializing in industrial production, and her current responsibilities include creating clear, concise technical and mechanical documentation and technical visualizations.

I enjoy being part of Girls’ Day in Science and fully support the event. It makes sense to me to help inspire younger girls toward a career path in technology and, hopefully, to help foster a natural interest in the many opportunities available in education, fields of study, and the workplace. And to help show that you don’t have to be a “nerd” in a negative sense, even if you work in a field that requires a lot of technical knowledge.‍

Kamilla Lorentsen, technical writer at Gibotech

Of course, the girls also learned more about Gibotech as a company and were given a tour. The tour ended with the highlight of the program: getting to program a robot.

Three robots were set up for programming, each with its own task. After a brief introduction, the girls had to program the robots to draw, move a block, and grab a lollipop, respectively. They were deeply focused, as it’s not exactly easy to keep track of both the coordinates and the various steps and safety precautions. On the other hand, there was also great excitement when the programming was successful.

For Gibotech, supporting Girls’ Day in Science makes sense because we need STEM skills, and because we want to promote diversity in the workplace and in education. Many girls don’t naturally develop an interest in these subjects—perhaps because they don’t fully understand what they entail. By showcasing the company and the work of our role models, we hope that Gibotech can inspire more girls to pursue a STEM path.